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I have heard about some strange stories on the on-going Ilo-Ifako bridge project. They said I didn’t inform the local government that I was embarking on the construction of that bridge as a Constituency Project. It has also been said that the State government listed the same project as part of its contribution to the development of Otta. These are not true and amount to covetousness or at worst duplicity.
The fact is that the Ilo-Ifako bridge is a constituency project of Senator Akin Odunsi. It is backed up by an Act of the Nigerian Parliament, the National Assembly and was signed into law by the President. It is captured in the 2013 Appropriation Act. Since it is a law in black and white, I do not think either the state or local government should be at a loss about it. Political expediency should not take over the welfare of the people, which was my reason for fighting to return the project to the front burner of our community development.
This bridge project has a history. It was a special request thrust on me during the electioneering campaign. It therefore was central to my first proposals for constituency projects upon my election in 2011. It was captured in my 2012 presentation to the Senate. When it was not implemented, I had to write a reminder to the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolomenem and followed it up with another letter on May 23, 2013 to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Senator Ayogu Eze. I also made several visitations to the Ministry to actualise it.
Through the 2013 Appropriation, the same project was approved and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development was mandated to execute it. It was contained in Vol 1, Page 151 of the 2013 Appropriation Act. Following the Presidential assent, it was advertised by the Ministry and awarded to TEMMADOT Contractors Ltd after due process.
Just as the contractor moved to site, it was learnt that the Ado-Odo/Otta LGA came to erect a sign post to signal that it was also going to commence work on the same project. The residents had complained that a makeshift bridge they erected had collapsed after a heavy downpour in February, 2013. I personally paid an on-the-spot visit to the place. Thereafter, I mobilised the Ministry of Works engineers and they assessed the extent of damage. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the federal level later came to clear the debris at my instance. Where was the LGA and State government in all these? It is therefore surprising and utterly provocative that the Local Government that has been apathetic to the plight of the people along that axis will now motion to be prepared to fix the bridge by merely placing a sign post at the site. I do not understand the State’s position, except that it was the promoter of the local government agenda.
I have been inundated with telephone calls and text messages over the displeasure of the residents over the oblique intention of the authorities of the LGA over the bridge. I understand the Community Development Associations in this area are miffed by the sudden realisation of the Council that they were facing an ordeal only after I had mobilised resources to ensure that they are not perpetually stranded and ostracised.
Since we are in the same party, I do not see how the State and local government administration should be working at cross-purposes with me. I have been constrained to write to the party leadership to call them to order. I also notified the Police authorities on this sad development to forestall a breakdown of law and order that could be spawned by this adversarial stance of the State against the Ogun West people.
It is a fact that development is skewed against my Senatorial District. It is more unfortunate that the little effort we are making on our own to keep our heads above water and against institutionalised marginalisation is being further sabotaged on the altar of political expediency.
Two recent instances will suffice that these consistent and worrisome acts have 2015 political undertones:
On Saturday, 24th August, 2013, the commissioning of Ijamido Multipurpose Hall was disrupted purportedly on the strength of a petition from some faceless PDP members. Our investigations however revealed that they were sponsored by some party members which clearly pointed at Governor Ibikunle Amosun. I want to recall that in spite invitations to our party leaders in the State, same headed out to another event in the LG. Our investigations further revealed that the parallel event was to an internal party affair meant to undermine the essence of the commissioning of the Multipurpose Hall we managed to build after it had been stalled for over three decades. The Town Hall project was facilitated by me under the 2012 Appropriation Act.
Again, on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 a letter written by the State Urban and Regional Planning Department ordered the stoppage of the construction work at the Cassava Processing Integrated Industry for Women in Alapoti, Ado Odo/Otta local government. Ironically, Alapoti is a rural setting in Ado-Odo/Otta Local Government and the land for this project was donated to us by the Community, so the stop-work order was an exercise in political mischief.
This latest one on the Ilo-Ifako Bridge (Culvert) linking Ogun and Lagos States is clearly no longer a hidden agenda. It has exposed the manoeuvres.
I believe these and other similar actions across the State are capable of eroding public confidence in the political class and on our party in particular. I have chosen to appeal to the party leadership to intervene and call these local opportunists and their foot soldiers to order. I want the Police to maintain peace. I will also want to urge the media to be eternally vigilant and focus on the deliberately-orchestrated marginalisation of the people of Ogun West.
Thank you and God bless
SENATOR AKIN B. ODUNSI
